Karnataka to increase rapid tests and optimise RT-PCR kits

With an unprecedented surge within the variety of COVID-19 instances, Karnataka is now planning to increase Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) from the present lower than 10% to over 30%.

This follows an advisory from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to all States to increase rapid tests as laboratories throughout the nation are going through challenges to meet the anticipated testing targets due to extraordinary case load and employees getting contaminated with COVID-19.

Accordingly, the State’s COVID-19 ministerial activity power headed by Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan that met on Tuesday gave an administrative nod to the Health Department to procure extra RAT kits.

State to place orders

C.N. Manjunath, nodal officer for labs and testing within the activity power, stated the procurement committee of Karnataka State Drugs Logistics and Warehousing Society had determined to place orders for 30 lakh RAT kits.

He stated within the present scenario there’s a scarcity of RAT kits and therefore orders had to be positioned instantly.

“The State’s average test positivity rate (TPR) is hovering around 21%. Whenever the TPR is high, RAT is an important tool for immediate results. It will not only help in early detection but also in curbing transmission,” Dr. Manjunath stated.

Curbing transmission

V. Ravi, nodal officer for genomic affirmation of SARS-CoV-2 in Karnataka, who can be a part of the State’s Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), stated with symptomatic sufferers being prime drivers of the an infection in Karnataka, rapid tests will assist lower transmission at an early stage.

RATs had been really helpful in India for COVID-19 testing in June 2020. However, the usage of these tests is at the moment restricted to containment zones and well being care settings. RAT has a brief turn-around time of 15-Half-hour and thus affords an enormous benefit of fast detection of instances and alternative to isolate and deal with them early for curbing transmission, he stated.

“Although Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) testing is the gold standard test that has negligible chances of false negativity, an unprecedented upsurge of cases and deaths has made it imperative to optimize RT-PCR testing and simultaneously increase the access and availability of testing to people,” Dr. Ravi stated.

“If reports come early and if a person gets to know he/she has tested positive, tracking, tracing and isolation can be expedited. Rapid tests can be done at fever clinics where only those with symptoms report,” he stated.

Mild sickness

Explaining that just about 80% of individuals have gentle sickness, Dr Ravi stated: “People with mild illness assume they are asymptomatic. It all depends on how the patient’s history is recorded. Usually, patients with a strong immune system will be able to handle the virus and such patients will only have very mild symptoms, which they feel is not worth reporting and hence they are not recorded. A rapid test is useful in such patients.”